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\"The Snake\" http://webphysics.iupui.edu/251/251sp12/puzzle.html check the webs

ID: 2056860 • Letter: #

Question

"The Snake"

http://webphysics.iupui.edu/251/251sp12/puzzle.html

check the website to check the figure.

The figure above shows a piece of flexible wire lying on a frictionless table top. The wire can slide around and change its shape freely, but it cannot move perpendicular to the table.

Part a
If a current were to begin to flow counterclockwise in the wire which of the following would happen?

The wire would tend to stretch out into a circle
The wire would contract down to a tangled mess
Nothing
There is not enough information to tell.
Part b
If the current went clockwise, would that affect your answer to part a?
Please write your answer in the box below. Give an explanation of the reasoning behind your answer.

Explanation / Answer

The wire would stretch out in both the cases, and not sure about a circle but tries to attain shape that :

two current carrying wires with currents in opposite direction attract each other and vice-versa.